Interpersonal Skills: The Missing Link for Creating Team Synergy

Do you ever wonder why your team just isn't connecting?  Do you wish people could understand each other and just appreciate the strengths each person brings to your team?  Research has indicated that 85% of the reason teams of people struggle when working together is due to interpersonal skills, and only 15% is due to issues of technical competence.

This probably isn't a surprise.  You've experienced the frustration yourself that's caused by poor interpersonal skills and the resulting negative feelings they generate.  But what can you do about it?

1. Recognize we're all different.  We don't have the same work styles and motivations.  We don't like the same things and or want the same things from each other.  In other words, we have different behavioral styles.  The more you understand what your own behavioral style preferences are, and those of your team members, the easier it will be to understand them.
   
2. Understand why we need those differences.  The key thing is to recognize there is great value in the differences each team member brings.  These differences make your team stronger in the long run, but can sometimes be frustrating.  The more you understand behavioral styles in teams, the easier it will be for you to value the diversity.
   
3. Learn to leverage the strengths each team member brings.  Once you've identified the strengths of each unique team member, it makes sense to leverage those strengths and assign projects accordingly.  For example, let your more analytical team members assess your quality control requirements and let your more interactive team members discuss the value of your project over lunch with the client.

Key Point:  You've got to emphasize the need to develop the interpersonal skills of each team member.  It's critically important and doesn't come naturally to many people.  When you do this, your team members will capitalize on the diversity of strengths each team member brings.  As a result, they will enjoy working with each other, be more productive, and move towards higher levels of team synergy.

Five Stages of Team Development

Teams grow and develop at different rates and times.  However, they do all follow fairly predictable stages of maturity in their effort to create team synergy.  Each stage is characterized by unique strengths and weaknesses.  As you review these, ask yourself which stage you think your team is in:

1. Immature Stage:
   The participants of this team have not yet begun to collaborate.  They are still looking to management for direction and operate very cautiously.  This stage is indicative of newly formed teams.  It can also be experienced by more established teams who have experienced a major change in responsibilities and roles.  Usually, most individuals are willing to work together in this stage and feel positive about moving forward, even if they are unsure of their roles and responsibilities.
   
2. Fragmented Stage:
   A fragmented team may experience conflict.  Team members may challenge each other, withhold information or disagree about insignificant things.  Team members will feel frustration and dissatisfied with their ability to accomplish results.  Although conflict and dissatisfaction does occur in this stage, it is a positive sign that people are starting to communicate and taking the first steps toward organizing tasks, roles and responsibilities.
   
3. Cohesive Stage:
   In this stage, team members are now able to discuss feelings, perspectives and reactions openly without constant disagreement.  Relationships among team members have grown stronger and there is a greater appreciation for each team members strengths and differences.  This stage is a critical junction for the tem in terms of moving forward.  While they are not fully collaborating with each other yet, they are much more productive.
   
4. Effective Stage:
   The team is working well together when they get to the effective stage.  In this stage, they enjoy working together and are able to get the job done.  They can openly exchange feelings, facts and accomplishments.  They are basically operating in a "groove" not only in how they relate to each other, but also in how they go about doing their work.
   
5. Synergistic Stage:
   Synergistic teams are discontent with operating "in a groove" and achieve the highest level of productivity.  They are highly developed and interdependent.  They are able to solve problems in a highly creative and productive way.  They can agree to disagree while continuing to work well together to accomplish goals.  There is a great deal of trust and mutual respect.  Team members see the team's goals as just as important (if not more important) than their own needs.
   

If your team is not operating at the synergistic stage, ask yourself what you need to do to enhance interpersonal relationships and goal accomplishment.  You may want to provide team building programs or other resources to strengthen how well your team operates.  Remember that all teams will go through predictable stages of development and you can grow beyond your current point.

Assess Time Management Skills to Create Team Synergy

Have you ever wished your team could all be moving in the same direction?  Could a lack of focus and alignment be preventing your team from accomplishing your most important priorities?

One of the biggest challenges we face today is the fact that we are all moving at lightening speed.  Technology has made us instantly accessible anywhere we go, 24/7.  But the downside is that it is making everything urgent.  And when that happens, the truly important things can easily get lost.  When your team is clear about its priorities and direction, and everyone understands the impact of time management on team performance, your team productivity will significantly improve.

To help your team use its time most effectively, ask yourself how your team is doing in the following seven areas:

1. Goals
   Are the goals of our team clear?  Do we know what our key objectives are?
   
2. Priorities
   Do we know what our priorities are for the year, month, and week?  Do we create a plan to accomplish our most important tasks each week?  Do we structure our day to focus on those priorities?
   
3. Meetings
   Do we run our meetings well?  Do we have a clear agenda, start and end on time, clearly identify tasks and responsibilities, and follow-up on action items?
   
4. Interruptions
   Do we interrupt each other unnecessarily throughout the day?  Do we have a lot of unnecessary distractions?
   
5. Delegation
   Is delegation handled effectively, or do we just "dump" on each other?
   
6. Written Communications
   Do we handle email effectively, or do we send too much email when it's really not necessary?
   
7. ProcrastinationDo we meet our deadlines?  If not, how is this impacting other team members?